The Tale of Little Mary
by Namikaze Nara
Summary: Just a little back story of Maribel Hearn. Diversion from Canon Facts, AU.


**Hello everyone! I'm back with another short story. I realize i keep doing that short of things instead of focusing on continuin one story...**

 **Well anyway, here is a little back story about Maribel hearn inspired by a "Memory -Ib Ost-" and little Mary who i forced to burn. I still feel guilty even now...**

 **Anyway, please enjoy!**

Once there was a little girl born into a wealthy family. She have a doll like appearance, with blonde hair and exotic purple eyes, and none questioning her beauty. Her name is Mary.

Everyday, the girl lives in luxury, with every thing she asked would be immediately granted by her caretaker. Toys, foods, clothes, any she asked would be bought immediately for her.

However, the girl was not happy, because while she live in luxury, she is lonely. Her parents never have any time for her, and her caretakers is too scared to play with her. So the little girl decide to look for a friend.

The chance appeared when her parent making a big party. They told her that a lot of people would come, and she should wear a good clothes and in her best behavior. The little girl nodded vigorously, excited to finally meet a new person and then find a new friend.

The day finally arrived. Her parents give her a new clothes for her to wear exclusively for today. It was a pretty purple clothes that makes a pretty sparkle when she spun. It never failed to bring a laughter to the little girl every time she did it.

Inspecting herself in the mirror, the little girl fixing any sprinkles or any stray hairs in her head. Her parents said that first impression is important, and she is determined to be the best she could when she meet someone so they would be friend. That way she wouldn't be alone again!

Her parents ushered the little girls to the balcony, where the party held. It was filled with light and music and people it makes the little girl dizzy. But the little girl refused to give up. She shook her head and then followed her parents to the seas of people, clutching their dress desperately while throwing her head left and right in curiosity and nervousness.

The little girl spotted a crowd of children in her size huddling in the corner, talking and joking. She even saw some of them laughing together! Excited, she tugging her mother dress to get her attention, before asking permission to go to the group she saw. To her happiness, she agreed.

Little Mary immediately releasing her mother's dress and running to the group of children, and in a wide smile, introducing herself. The group of children is strangely silent, and it makes the girl nervous. After few second, however, the others is suddenly smiled and cheered for her, and bringing her to the group.

They talk, and playing tag, and playing tea party, and laughing together. The little girl was so happy. Finally she have someone to play with, she is no longer alone.

Tired, the little girl walked to her mother with a wide happy smile. Her mother crouched down, seeing how happy the little girl are, and patting her head gently. It makes the little girl even happier.

Her mother later bringing the little girl to the park on a stroll. Her mother said it's to take a fresh air. The little girl didn't understand, afterall, isn't the room have a good air conditioner? But the little girl still following her mother without question.

Coincidentally, the little girl spotting her new friends in the park while drinking something. Excited, the girl raise her hand and just about to call for them when she hears what they were talking about.

They are talking about mean, mean thing about her. She said that the little girl was spoiled girl and it was boring to play with her and how they are planning to use her. The girl can't believe what she hears. After all, they are playing happily together before, how could they say mean things like that?

The little girl looking up to her mother with teary eyes, and ask her that. Her mother knows everything, so she must know what she did wrong so she could fix it and then they all could be friend again right?

But her mother is silent. She just patting the little girl head before ushering the little girl to follow her after sending a glare at the horrified children. Her mother ushered the girl back to her room, and immediately close the door and hug her tightly.

The little girl didn't understand, so she ask the question again. Her mother didn't answer again.

Later that night, her mother told little Mary that she didn't have to worry about them anymore, and told her to be careful choosing her friend, before walk away.

The little girl is sad. She was so happy to finally have a friend just this afternoon, but then her friend is turned out to be a meanie and her mother forbid her to befriend them again.

For few days, she back to play alone again with her doll and toys. Her caretakers even seem even more distant ever since the party for some reason. Sometimes, the little girl even spot them staring at her fearfully. They never answered why when she asks.

One day, the little girl is reading a story book called Snow White, and she saw the meanie witch talking with someone in the mirror. Excited and curious, the little girl decide to try doing the same.

She walked to the big mirror in her room and then repeating the mantra the mean witch chanted. No answered though, and it makes the little girl sad. However, she didn't give up. The little girl think and hard why the mirror wouldn't answer her, until she finally realize why.

Of course it won't answer her. The mean witch called the mirror and ask it who is the most beautiful because the witch want to be beautiful. Maybe she should ask what she want to to the mirror too?

Once again the little girl standing before the mirror, before chanting the edited mantra she make up on the spot.

"Would you want to be my friend?" She asked. For a moment, nothing change, and the little girl is almost convinced that the mirror won't answer her again, when the person in the mirror changed. It grow taller, and her hair longer, and she was so pretty as she smiled at her, before she answered yes.

The person behind the mirror introduced herself as Yukari. She said she was the guardian of fantasy world, where phony and legends little girl asked if she could come to visit, but Yukari said that she isn't ready yet.

For years she would talk to the person in the mirror every day. Yukari would tell her about the land where she lives, about the vampires that lives in the scarlet mansion, about the princess from the moon, many other things. Even when she grows up and go to school, she would never forget to talk to the person behind the mirror at night.

She never tell this to everyone though, because Yukari warn her to not too. She said that everyone would think she is crazy and perhaps even taking the mirror away if she did. Feared she would lost the only friend she have, she complying.

Day after day, Yukari and her tale is the only thing she looking forward to everyday. Back in school, she would be alone. The girl who once say mean thing about her spreading bad rumours about her, and no one want to talk to her. Until one day.

It was a busy times in cafetaria, with the place bursting and table full with people. Well, all table beside the one she occupy. For some reason, no one want to share tables with her, and she would have a special spot in the corner of the cafe that no one want to approach. That's why it startled her so much when a tray suddenly placed on her table and someone sitting across her.

The girl who took a sit across her have brown hair and bright colored eyes the same as her hair. She introduced herself as Usami Renko, and said that she can't found any empty table and saw how she is eating alone and deciding to eat with her.

Mary is happy, that after so long, she have someone to talk to beside Yukari.

Mary find out that Renko haven't heard about the rumours about her, and that she didn't even know who Mary are. Mary didn't mind though. She would wave her hand when asked what Mary means and deciding to savor the chance as much as possible when she could. After all, she know it won't last.

It comes sooner than she expected however. The mean girl from before walked to their table when they're talking about their class and suddenly told Renko who Mary is and what a bad person she is.

Mary want to retorted back, to shout that she isn't like that, but she found herself can't say anything. She would only looking down, waiting for the judgmental stare her new friend would send her before she would leave her too.

"I don't think Merry is the kind of person you told me about."

Instead, what she hears is words of rejection. Not to her, but to the mean girl. She look up to see how Renko told the girl that rumors is only rumors until proven fact, and if Mary was as bad as she told, then she doubt she would allow her to eat with her.

The girl left angrily after warning Renko that she would regret it, but Renko only shrugged before continue eating and continue their talk. When Mary asked why she said that, she answered that she want to see the truth with her own eyes.

Mary decide she would make sure Renko never regretting her words.

Once she back home, Mary immediately running to her room and tell Yukari everything, and how happy she is.

Yukari told her how she too once have a friend, a partner, but then she lost her. She also told Mary to treasures her new friend. Mary vowed to.

Years passed. Mary found out that her friend is interested with Occult and would spend hours regaling her about myth and history. Mary desperately wanted to tell her friend which is right and which is wrong, wanted to tell her that she knows someone who comes from fantasy, but holding back. Yukari told her to not tell everything yet to her friend.

One day, Mary incidentally slipped up and tell her friend about the vampire in the crimson mansion. Panicked when asked, she decide to tell a lie, that she visited the world in her dream. Her friend trusting her immediately.

It makes her feel more guilty.

She begged Yukari to allow her to tell everything to her friend, as the guilt become unbearable. Finally, Yukari relented, and told her about the entrance to the netherworld.

Excited, she visited the place with her partner, and found the place filled with Sakura's petal. It was beautiful.

Excited, she visited the shore in the moon, with earth is being visible in the horizon. It was beautiful.

Excited, she visit the wilderness inside a forgotten satellite in space. It was terrifying.

Everyday, she would dream of everything that could go wrong, of the harm that could be done because her.

Yukari told her that this was what she have to expect if she want to continue. That fantasy is as terrifying as it is beautiful. As Deadly as it is Breathtaking.

She almost giving up. She didn't want to risk her friend, didn't want to risk what she finally have now. But her friend insisted that she is okay. And that because it was risky that the dream is worth achieving for.

So they continue. They continue explore the unknown and taking the risk. And while it is scary, Mary admit that it was fun and exciting.

Until one day, the unexpected happens.

Mary always thought that what will be the end of them is the mystery they recklessly intrude, that she forgot the true cruelty is lie within human themselves.

Mary found the apartment of her friend ransacked, and Renko lying on the ground, bleeding, blanketed by crimson.

She couldn't breath, couldn't even scream. Time itself is seems to be stopped. And it continue to stopped when the Medics picking her friends unmoving body to the hospital. It keeps stopped when the best doctors the hospital have to offers doing surgery to save her friend.

It was broken when the doctor told her that they are sorry.

It didn't take long for her to caught the culprits, along with the mastermind behind it. It didn't took much effort at all to have revenge.

It didn't make her feel good at all.

In the end, it won't bring her friend back.

Mary found herself staring at the mirror, a hat with red ribbon on her hand. The very same hat the person behind the mirror wear. And she finally understood what happened.

The Red Ribbon is Renko's. It was Renko gift to her the very day before she found Renko's bloodied form. It was the most important thing to her. And from how Yukari always wore hers, so was to her.

"You are me." She finally said. Yukari nodded her head. There is no words that needed to be said, as Mary also knows what will happen next.

It was their dream to found the fantasy lands, to unveiled the mystery.

The entrance to that dream has always been lying in her room.

"You are ready." Yukari finally said. It tooks times for Mary to remember, that she once told her that she isn't ready yet, long time ago. So this is what she is waiting for.

Mary look up, and then nodded her head.

A ripple appeared in the mirror, and a hand coming out, offered to her.

Mary hesitated for a moment, before the feel of her hat in her hands convinced her. She took the hand.

That day, Little Mary dissapeared from reality, and start her journay in the world of fantasy.


End file.
